


Reconciliation

by Luka



Series: Every Man is a King [3]
Category: Rugby RPF, Rugby Union RPF
Genre: Closeted Character, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-17
Updated: 2019-09-17
Packaged: 2020-10-20 14:51:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,829
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20677202
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Luka/pseuds/Luka
Summary: Maybe there's the chance of closure for George.





	Reconciliation

**Author's Note:**

> Ahem, yes, well, this pairing was supposed to be a one-off. And then there was a sequel. And now there's a third part. It's kind of ended up like picking at a scab! But this really is it now!

They’re sitting in a coffee shop after training and Jonny is yakking about the fires in the Amazon rainforest. George nods and grunts occasionally to pretend he’s listening.

At exactly the same moment as Jonny asks him a question, George says, almost without thinking: “Jonny, I’m gay. And I’m going out with Sladey.”

“Good,” says Jonny. “He’s a sensible lad and he’s just right for you. So should Brazil accept the G7 money or not?”

***

They FaceTime every night. It feels like a special and private moment to look forward to amidst the pressure of pre-season training. And after a week or so, George amazes himself by saying quietly ‘love you!’ as they prepare to sign off one evening. “Back atcha!” says Henry, his smile wide. Frank clambers onto Henry’s lap and woofs his approval.

***

And now George feels braver, so he tells Tom and Ben. 

Ben hugs him hard. “Good. I hope it works out for you both. Sladey’s a smashing lad. And you need someone to take you out of yourself. I bet he’s good in bed as well!”

“Lenny!” George knows he’s gone scarlet.

Tom, more subtle than his brother, slaps George on the shoulder. “Good lad. Does your dad know?”

George nods. “I told him and mum and our Joe a few weeks back. They were fine about it.”

“Who else knows here?”

“Just you two and Jonny. I’m going to leave it at that for a bit, yeah?”

Tom nods. “Fair enough. It’s probably worth telling Geordie at some stage, but in your own time. And you know me and Lenny are always here if you need to talk.”

“Thanks, mate. I really appreciate that.”

“Enough soppy stuff, already!” says Ben. But they all know he’s joking, as he ruffles George’s immaculate hair and gets cursed for his pains.

*** 

They manage a fortnight together in Cornwall during August. The weather is baking, so they spend a lot of time on the beach or out with the other Chiefs lads on the boat. George catches the sun and is even enticed into the sea once or twice.

And Henry introduces him to his parents and his two brothers. The family are lovely, although it seems weird to be at a meal table where rugby isn’t the main topic of conversation. Henry’s middle brother is at drama school, so they’re making arrangements to go to the theatre in Exeter at the weekend. The assumption seems to be that George will go as well. He’s never been to the theatre in his life, but is too embarrassed to admit this. And he suddenly feels very dull and very stupid with rugby the only thing he knows about. 

He helps clear the table and load the dishwasher. And instinctively he picks up a cloth and starts cleaning the cooker hob and the surrounding worktops. 

“You don’t have to do that, darling,” says Henry’s mum, who’s bustling around putting saucepans away.

“It’s OK … I like cleaning …”

“I wish all of my lads did!”

“And I … I have OCD.” Finally he’s said it out loud and admitted it to someone.

“You know Henry does as well?” She touches his arm briefly.

“I wondered … I wasn’t sure.” He remembers Jack complaining vociferously during a Six Nations about Henry’s weird rooming habits.

“Have you told anyone else?”

He shakes his head. “I’m sure my parents know, but …”

“It’s up to you who you tell,” she says, kissing his forehead.

The sudden intimacy surprises his, but he doesn’t mind and he hugs her in return.

Henry appears to make tea and coffee for everyone, and rolls his eyes when he sees his mother has cornered George. “She hasn’t shown you the embarrassing photos of me growing up, has she?”

“Not yet!” says his mother, winking at George. “Give me time … Now, you’re OK about coming along to the theatre with us on Saturday? You’ve probably noticed that this lot tend to railroad people!”

“Thank you … I’d like to. But I’ve never been to the theatre before … I don’t know anything about plays.”

“It’s a comedy and one of Seb’s friends is in it. Don’t worry, no one will be offended if you don’t want to go.”

“I’d like to go, please.”

Henry smiles at him. “No one’s going to test you on it!” 

***

He goes to the loo and as he comes back downstairs he can hear voices in the kitchen. It’s Henry and his mother. The door is wide open, and suddenly George doesn’t want them to see him. So he sits down on the stairs, arms clasping his knees.

“George is lovely, darling. Is he always this reserved, though?”

“He’s very, very shy off the pitch. And he was in this weird relationship for years. I don’t think it was abusive or anything, but it’s taking him a while to trust me and get used to people knowing that he’s gay … He’s only just told his parents and a few of his teammates.”

George’s body tenses. Was it an abusive relationship? He's sure it wasn't, although he knows abuse isn’t just physical. 

A wet nose nudges his hand. He looks down to see Frank there, tail wagging furiously. George absent-mindedly laces his fingers through the soft fur, and is comforted by Frank cuddling up to him.

“Darling, that’s awful …”

“It was a strange relationship by the sound of it.”

“Do you know who …?”

“Yes, but it’s not up to me to say. I’m going to take it steady, not crowd George, and make sure he knows he’s safe and that I love him.”

And suddenly there are tears pricking at his eyes and he scrubs them away fiercely because he never cries. But apart from his family, he’s never before had someone say that they love him. 

Henry finds him sitting on the stairs, his arm around Frank, who’s dozing happily with his head on George’s knee.

“Hey, you OK? We’ve got sofas - you don’t have to sit on the stairs!”

George offers up a smile, but he suspects it’s not a very convincing one. Henry sits down beside him and slips his arm around George’s waist.

“I don’t think it was an abusive relationship … I think he did love me in his own way,” says George vaguely. “And he never made me do anything I didn’t want to do. It’s just, I dunno, maybe it wasn’t an equal relationship … It was all on his terms …” And it suddenly hits George that he and Owen hadn’t spent more than one or two nights together since they’d shared rooms on the England age group tours. It had all been furtive get-togethers at each other’s house once George had joined the senior squad.

Henry looks absolutely horrified. “Oh shit, George, I’m really sorry … We shouldn’t have been talking about you like that.”

“It’s OK … You do make me feel safe … Thank you …”

Henry kisses the top of his head and George leans in to him. Frank nestles up against their legs. They stay cuddled together until Henry’s mother summons them for tea.

***

He’s in bed, relaxed and comfortable after a shared shower that had led to another shower. He’s never imagined that sex with the person you love could feel so perfect and that someone would go to great lengths to make sure it feels good for both of them.

Henry’s downstairs, feeding Frank and chatting to Jack on his mobile. George’s phone buzzes.

_You OK to talk?_

Shit. Owen. He wonders about ignoring the message but he knows he can’t.

_Yeah, wait a minute._

He goes into the bathroom. Then, before he can have second thoughts, he presses the call button.

The call’s answered immediately. “Hey.”

“Hey,” says George.

“You OK?”

“Fine, thanks. You?”

“Yeah, great, thanks.”

It’s all so formal, like two distant acquaintances. There’s a silence, then Owen says: “You in Devon?”

“Yeah.” There are a couple of photos up on George’s Instagram account of him on the beach with Henry, Jack and three or four of the other Chiefs lads.

“Looks good.”

“Yeah. The weather’s great.”

“Sladey OK?”

“Fine, thanks.”

“He … He’s good for you. You look happy.”

“I am,” says George honestly.

There’s silence, and then George says: “How’s everyone?”

Owen brightens immediately. “Gabe’s really shooting up. I saw mam and dad a couple of weeks back. They asked after you.”

“Great. Send them my love next time you talk to them.” He’s always liked Owen’s parents. And he’s always wondered whether Owen’s mum had guessed about them.

“I miss you, Georgie …”

“Owen, don’t, please …” George doesn’t think he can bear old wounds being ripped open.

“I loved … love … you. Always remember that.”

“I know you did …” And he does know and despite the pain, he knows they shared something that can never be forgotten.

“I told Georgie …”

“What, about us? Shit, Owen, why?”

“No! That I’m bi … I think she’d guessed already.”

And it’s the first time that Owen has been able to articulate to George that part of himself that he’s tried to subdue. 

“Was she OK about it?”

“Yeah, I think so … We were talking about past relationships. She knew she was my first girlfriend …”

There’s silence again. Then Owen says: “I know things can never be the same. But when we’re in camp, can we have coffee and stuff?”

George thinks about this for a moment or so, and realises that that’s OK and maybe a basis to at least try to rebuild the friendship. “That sounds good. I’ve got a couple of rugby league books I’ll bring for you …”

“Brilliant!”

In the background, George can hear a baby crying. “I’ll see you soon, then.”

“Yeah. Take care, Georgie. And say hi to Sladey from me.”

“I will.”

George is still sitting on the bathroom floor, back against the bath, when Henry comes upstairs.

“Hey, you OK?”

George nods. “You know you’re not second-best, don’t you?”

“Of course I do. What’s brought this on?” Henry looks worried.

“Owen just phoned. He’s told his wife he’s bi.”

”Shit …”

“Yeah. I don’t think she was surprised, given he’s never had a girlfriend before her.”

“Did he tell her about you?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Why did he phone?”

“I think it was his way of trying to move on and to see if we can rebuild some of the friendship. He wants us to have coffee next time we’re in camp. Are you OK about that?”

Henry sits down on the floor beside him and slips his arm around George’s waist. “Of course.”

“He said to say hi. And he said that I look happy.”

“Are you happy?” asks Henry softly.

George leans in to the embrace. “Happier than I ever thought possible. Look, I know it’s not going to be easy, what with all the training and travelling and living so far apart, but I want to make it work.”

Henry kisses the top of his head. “So do I. And we can do it.”


End file.
